State department says Trump on 'same page' as USA officials

Tillerson, returning from meeting with leaders in Asia, insisted that "Americans should sleep well at night", despite the growing nuclear tensions.

"I$3 f one of the military options that the administration is looking at is a preemptive war on the Korean peninsula launched by the United States, that would require the authorization of Congress", Mr Sullivan told Fox News.

"That campaign is working", she said, adding that Trump and Tillerson held an hour-long phone conversation after the president's comments. "The DPRK must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons", he said.

"The State Department spokeswoman said Wednesday the Trump administration is "singing from the same hymn book" in its reaction to North Korea'scontinued threats to unleash a nuclear attack on the USA mainland". The U.S. embassy's top career official, Marc Knapper, heads the diplomatic staff in the country on an acting capacity until Trump nominates an envoy.

Mr Sullivan said if North Korea were to attack the United States first, Trump would have more authority to respond.

"We need to be firm and deliberate with North Korea, but reckless rhetoric is not a strategy to keep America safe", Mr Schumer said in a statement.

"And, in response, North Korea warned they are ready to teach the USA a severe lesson with its nuclear strategic force", the Late Show host informed his non-news watching/reading viewers - adding that other countries were not being threatened.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States".

Trump's remarks came after reports emerged saying that North Korea has created a miniaturized nuclear weapon designed to fit inside its missiles.